Nebulizer or the like



June 1951 e. P. TRUMBOUR NEBULIZER OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 19, 1947 R m m W.

' GEQRGE P TRUMBOUR BY ATTOR/V'PS Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES ar-s orries NEBULIZER OR THE LIKE George P. Trumbour, Needham,

Mass, assignor to Mac'GregorTnstrument Company, Needham, "Mass; a corporation of -Massachusetts Application-December 19, '1 947,-Serial' N 0.792 656 vices as nebulizers is, of course, that they be adapted to operate efficiently with various differ- .ent-liquids. In order that nebulizers, capable of such operation, may be produced economically y the manufacturerand be of maximum utility to thepurchaser, it is necessary that their component parts be interchangeable to enable them to be embodied in detachable assemblies thereby to facilitate their production and to enable the users to take them apart forthoroughcleansing or other service. For such purposes, -molded plastic parts are admirabl adapted because of economy to the manufacturer, the minimization of breakage, and the attractiveness of appearance that the use of pla'sticsfacilitates.

In accordance with my invention I provide a nebulizer or like device which consistsof a 'hollow body, thelowerpart of which constitutes a well and the upper part "of which has an outlet and a port .in which an air delivery conduit is removably seated with an end extending into the hollow body. A member in the body has apassage in .one end disposed and dimensioned to receive .within it the extremity of the delivery conduit :soathat it is detachably supported thereby and an orifice disposed towards .theoutlet and in communication with'the passage. The other end of the-member and the suction conduit have complemental interlocking poi-tionsengageable to detachably support the suction conduit with its lower end adjacent the bottom of the well and the orifice in its upper end operatively disposed with reference to the other orifice. Both the member and the suction conduit are removable through the outlet and the outlet itself may support a removable cap having a discharge port.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown an illustrative embodiment of my invention from which these and other of its novel features and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical section through a nebulizer in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section along the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the air delivery and suction conduits and the member by which they are operatively connected.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, I have indicated at 5 a hollow and preferably open-ended, cylindrical body 5 having a supporting base 6. The lower part of the body 5 constitutes a well-for the liquid to be atomized and is preferably formed with an offset pocket 1. Thebodyialso has a port-8 in its side in which .the air delivery conduit -9 is seated, when-its flange'lll engages the side of the body=5,-with its extremity l I extending therein. The other -end IQfthe airdelivery; conduit 9 is shown'ashaving :isecured to it a conventionalbulb l2.

'At' I3, I'have indicated-a suction conduit, the

lower'end of whichis to extendinto the well-adjacent the'bottom of the pocket I andthe upper .part of whichris formed -to establish -a head 14 having a laterally opening orifice l 5 below which it has a recess'establishinga pair of shoulders 16 and l! of which the :lower-shoulder l1 extends asubstantial distance beyondthe extremityv of the shoulder Hi. I

The shoulders; l'fi and Hare vertically :spaced .to receive I between them and detachablysupport one end aof the member t8, the other-end of lWhiCh is-formed=with a,,:passage l9-dimensioned to.receivetwi-thin it the extremity of thezair delivery .conduit thereby to be detachably :supported :by zit. and to maintain the suctionconduit 13 in itslproper position when it and the member 18 are: assembled. The member I8 has an orifice 20 in communication .-with the passage l-9 and disposed to --be located closely :adjacent the "extremity of the shoulder t6 in'operative rela'tion 'to the orifice 520 when the :member lB/fand, the suction-conduit l 3 araassembled, whereby :air -"passing through 'the delivery conduit-9 is efiective to draw liquid" upwardly-through thesuctionztube I 3 and to atomize it.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, the mouth of the body 5 is closed by a cap 2| having a vertically disposed outlet 22 and a shoulder 23 to seat on the mouth 7 and to establish a sleeve 24. The outside diameter of the sleeve 24 is slightly less than the inside diameter of the body 5 to fit tightly therein and its length is such as to extend downwardly into the body 5 beyond the upper ends of the head [4 of the suction tube is and the member l8. Its inside diameter, at least in the zone of said upper ends, while greater than the maximum cross sectional dimensions of the assembled suction tube l3 and the member I 8, to receive their upper ends, provides clearance less than the depth of the shoulder I6.

As will be apparent from of the suction conduit head l4 and the member [8, opposite their interlocking portions, are rounded and When assembled together and supported by the extremity l I of the air delivery the drawings, the sides 3 conduit 9, the orifice 20 is in the vertical axis of the body 5 and the rounded sides are arcuate with respect to that axis.

By this construction, the suction tube [3 and the member l8 may be readily assembled and inserted, as a unit, into the body 5 when its cap 2| is removed and may be easily held so that the member l8 receives the extremity II when the air delivery conduit I0 is seated or unseated. While the member l3 and the suction conduit head 14 are securely locked together, the sleeve 24 prevents their accidental disconnection. By removing the cap 21, my nebulizer may be as readily disassambled.

While some or all the parts may be made of other materials, I prefer that they be of any suitable plastic stock to ensure economy in manufacture and that the parts are interchangeable to provide, through ease of assembly or disassembly, maximum advantage to the purchaser in use.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A nebulizer or the like comprising a hollow open-ended body, the lower part of which constitutes a well and the upper part of which has a port, a suction conduit having a laterally disposed orifice adjacent its upper end and having a recess below and in vertical alinement with said orifice, an air delivery conduit frictionally seated in said port to be supported bysaid body, a member in said body having one end dimensioned to fit frictionally said recess, a passage in which the extremity of said delivery conduit is seated to support said member and to connect said suction tube thereto when said member is seated in said recess, and an orifice disposed upwardly and in operative relationship to said other orifice and in communication with said passage, and a cap for said body, said cap having an upwardly opening port and including a shoulder to seat on the mouth of said body and a sleeve having its outside diameter equal to the inside diameter of said body and its inside diameter slightly greater than the maximum cross sectional area of said suction conduit and member, when assembled together and positioned by said delivery conduit and extending downwardly into said body below the upper end of said suction conduit, said suction tube and said member being removable as a unit through the open end of said body when said cap is removed and said air delivery conduit is withdrawn from said body and having their upper portions located adjacent said open end.

2. A nebulizer or the like comprising a hollow open-ended body, the lower part of which constitutes a well and the upper part of which has a port, a suction conduit having a laterally disposed orifice adjacent its upper end and having a recess below and in vertical alinement with said orifice, an air delivery conduit frictionally seated in said port to be supported by said body, a member in said body including fiat, parallel top and bottom surfaces and being dimensioned to fit frictionally into said recess with said surfaces in engagement with said shoulders, said member having a passage in which the extremity of said delivery conduit is seated to support said member and to connect said suction tube thereto when said member is seated in said recess, and an orifice disposed upwardly and in operative relationship to said other orifice and in communication with said passage, and a cap for said body, said cap having an upwardly opening port and including a shoulder to seat on the mouth of said body and a sleeve having its outside diameter equal to the inside diameter of said body and its inside diameter slightly greater than the maximum cross sectional area of said suction conduit and member, when assembled together and positioned by said delivery conduit and extending downwardly into said body below the upper end of said suction conduit, said suction tube and said member being removable as a unit through the open end of said body when said cap is removed and said air delivery conduit is withdrawn from said body and having their upper portions located adjacent said open end.

GEORGE P. TRUMBOUR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

